How to Speak Confidently in Public

1. Introduction: Hi, my name is Shweta, and you are here with me to learn about public speaking skills. I've learned public speaking skills since the age of 14, and I've joined public speaking competitions, debate competitions, and I've also done speeches in public. I'm also a content creator where I speak about social issues to my audience. With the skills and experience I have, I'm now given the opportunity to share this with you. I hope you are as excited as I am in learning about becoming a professional speaker. 2. Power of Your Voice - Vocal Resonance: Power of your voice, vocal resonance. We often speak from our throats than from our chest. This is because we fail to engage in a diaphragmatic breathing while speaking. When we breathe from our abdomen, our voice is naturally projected from our chest, which makes it louder and clearer. Let's try this together. I want all of you to start by saying, now, I want you to breathe from your abdomen, which means as you breathe in, your abdomen inflates or your stomach inflates. Now, say, now you can see that there is a difference from the first one because right now our voice is projected louder than before. So when you breathe out, your stomach will deflate, and that is how you breathe from your abdomen. I want all of you to try the box breathing exercise before speaking, especially if you're someone who gets nervous before you start speaking in public. So how the box breathing exercise work is that as you breathe in, you count for four times, and then you hold for four times, and you breathe out for four times, and then you hold for another four times. This is a good breathing practice for you to calm your nervous system. 3. Power of Your Voice - Pronunciation: Power of your voice, pronunciation. Be mindful of your pronunciation and articulation of vowels and consonants. As we all come from diverse backgrounds, some of us may struggle to pronounce certain words. For example, for the letter S to be pronounced as or the letter R to be pronounced as. And because some of us may not be able to pronounce certain vowels and consonants in that way, that is perfectly okay. This should not stop you from speaking in public. This is because ultimately the goal is for you to communicate your message effectively and clearly. All you need to do is to practice your enunciation regularly. Here's a tip. Tongue twisters is an excellent tool for enhancing pronunciation and fluency. Let's try doing tongue twisters together. They can help to improve accents by using alliteration, which is the repetition of one sound. If you can master them, you will be a much more confident speaker. Here I have four tongue twisters for you to try. They gradually get harder over time. Let's try the first one together. She sells seashells by the seashore. So we'll start slow. And then I encourage you to go a bit fast. She sells seashells by the seashore. Faster, she sells seashells by the seashore. Faster, she sells seashells by the seashore. She sells seashells by the seashore. Right, so that requires practice for you to master them. Here is the second thong twister, which is how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chug wood? He would chug he wood as much as he could and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood. And then I encourage you to try it a bit faster than before. Right. I'm here to say that if you cannot master all of them, fret not because the main thing here is for you to improve your pronunciation and improve your accent. It's not really about mastering these tongue twisters. These thugue twisters are here to just help you improve your clarity. Here is the third tongue twister, which is Betty butter, bought some butter, which I'm sure many of you know this pretty well. And the fourth one is Peter Piper. Well, I wish all of you good luck in trying this and making sure you get the pronunciation right. If you find longer words difficult to pronounce, break them down into smaller parts and practice each segment before saying the word as a whole. For example, we are using the word encyclopedia. If you find it hard to pronounce a full word, break it down first. We first break it down into N si lo P dia. Now, we go to Ni lo PDA. Then we join a bit more words, which will be encyclopedia. Now you join them together, Encyclopedia. There you go. Now you can start breaking down words if you find it difficult to pronounce as a whole immediately. As you break down, it helps you to understand how to pronounce each of those wordings together and then finally how you pronounce it together as a whole. I hope this helps. Don't worry with consistent practice, your pronunciation and confidence will increase over time. 4. Master your Pitch: Master your pitch. Our pitch naturally differs according to our emotion. When we are excited, our pitch tend to rise, while when we are serious, our pitch becomes low. Let me give you an example of an interview scenario. I am looking forward to starting this role as it will give me more experience in community work, which aligns with my purpose. Even though I learned so much from my previous job role, I realized that the job position that I was in doesn't align with my purpose. 5. Use a Confident Tone: Use a confident tone. Here are a few tips for you to use a confident tone or also known as your professional voice. Number one, speak from your chest. Use your professional voice by speaking from your chest, supported by deep resonant breaths. This technique amplifies your voice naturally, reducing strain, and ensuring clarity. Number two, calm your tone. To avoid nervousness in your voice, practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or box breathing before you start speaking. This helps steady your tone, preventing quivers or the tendency to rush through your words due to anxiety. Number three, adapt to your environment. Take your time to adjust your setting and audience. For instance, tailor your accent or language to connect to a specific demographic. In virtual settings, incorporate expressive gestures or body language such as hand movement to maintain engagement. Number four, build confidence. Practice confident postures such as standing tall or sitting with your shoulders back and chest forward that helps with the projection of your voice. Feel free to practice affirmation or visualization to build your confidence mentally before speaking. 6. Mastering the Rhythm of Your Voice: Mastering the rhythm of your voice. Mintain a steady, measured pace when speaking to show confidence. This is to avoid rushing through your words. You can speed up slightly to convey excitement, or you can slow down to emphasize key points of your message. Ensure your volume is clear and audible without being overly loud to avoid singing aggressive. For more intimate or heartfelt moments, lower down your volume to create a softer, more personal connection with the audience. Here is an example for a steady and clear volume. My fellow graduates today is not just a celebration of our achievement but a testament to our resilience, growth, and dedication that we have shown throughout this journey. Here is a steady, soft and more heartfelt moment of a message. As I stand here and look at all of you, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. 7. Dynamic Expression - Emphasis: Dynamic expression. Emphasis is the art of stressing certain words or phrases to convey the importance of a message. This is often done by speaking a louder, clearer voice, or a higher intonation. It highlights the key parts of your message, drawing the audience attention to what matters most. This technique not only enhances clarity, but it reveals a emotional connection towards the topic. This helps the audience understand why it is significant to you. Here are examples on how to create a dynamic expression in your sentences. We'll start with the first one. I am glad to be here. This emphasizes the importance of the location or event. I am glad you are here. This highlights the value of the person present. The final one, we are glad to be here. This underscores shared emotions of gratitude. In each of these sentences, they show a difference in what is important to someone. When you incorporate dynamic expression, it allows the audience to understand which is significant to you. Mastering emphasis can transform a simple statement into a powerful moment, leaving a lasting impression to those who hear you. 8. Dynamic Expression - Pauses: Another way to make a lasting impression is to use strategic pauses. You can use pauses to allow your message to sink in and emphasize important moments, punctuate your speech by giving your listeners clues as to when one phrase, sentence or paragraph ends and the next begins to indicate different ideas and to finally help audience understand the progression of your speech. In the next lesson, I will incorporate strategic pauses for you to understand how it works. 9. Put it all together : Now with what we've learned, let's put it all together. Here, I've created a speech together with indications to keep your speech engaging, interesting, and with clarity. The one that is highlighted in yellow, which means to pause is pretty straightforward. While the ones that is highlighted in blue in the italic font, it means to increase your pace. And the ones that are highlighted in pink, the ones in capital letters is to emphasize your words. Allow me to show you how this works. Sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It's a necessity. It means living in a way that meets our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet the s. Simple actions such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and supporting eco friendly practices can make a big difference when done collectively. But sustainability isn't just about environmental benefits. It's about creating a future where communities thrive in harmony with nature. By protecting our planet, we protect ourselves, our economies, and their generations to come. Let's take small steps together starting today. Whether it's choosing reusable bags, supporting sustainable businesses or planting a tree, every effort counts. Remember, the Earth doesn't need perfection from a few, it needs commitment from all of us. When you incorporate these indicators into your speech, it helps you to speak mindfully with clarity. I hope this helps. 10. Practice Makes Perfect: Practice is essential to becoming a professional public speaker. Allow me to share some practical techniques that you can use for your speaking skills. Number one, read aloud with intention. Practice reading aloud from a book, script, or article. Focus on varying your tone to make your content engaging. Emphasize key phrases or words, adjust your pitch to convey emotions, and experiment with pacing to maintain your audience interest. Number two, use a mirror to practice. Speaking in front of a mirror allows you to observe your facial expression and body language while working on your tonality. This exercise align your voice with your physical presence, reinforcing the connection between the two. Number three, record and review. Record yourself delivering a speech, answering questions, or rehearsing for an event. When you listen back, analyze your pitch, pace, volume, and emphasis. Are you using a varied tone or does it sound monotonous? This self feedback is invaluable for improvement. Number four, warm up your voice. Prepare your vocal cords with deep breathing exercises, humming or lip thrills. This technique enhance vocal control, reduce tension, and help smooth out vocal transition for a more polished delivery. Number five, consistency is key. Regular practice or repetition are crucial for mastering public speaking. With consistent effort, you'll build confidence that refines your skills over time. Incorporate these practices into your routine and you'll be on your way to becoming a confident and impactful speaker.